Oil-burner



V. H. MILLS.

OIL BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED ms. 6. 1920.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- PATENT OFFICE.

VIRGIL H. MILLS, OF HUBBARD, TEXAS.

OIL-BURNER.

Application filed February 6, 1920.

T 0 all 107207724 5 may concern,

Be it known that I, VIncIL H. MILLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hubbard, in the county of Hill and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Qil-l3urners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for consuming liquid fuel and particularly that class of heavy oils or hydrocarbons which may be obtained at an extremely low cost but which cannot be successfully consumed in an ordinary liquid fuel burner.

One object of the presentinvention is to provide a burner so constructed that in its operation the liquid fuel will be vaporized and ignited simultaneously with its vaporization so that the gases generated are consumed while in their nascent state and are thus prevented from cooling or condensing, prior to ignition, to such extent as to interfere .with their complete combustion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a burner for the purpose stated embodying a thermal flashing element by which I mean an elementwhich, being maintained at a suitable temperature. will effect cracking or flashing of the liquid fuel deposited thereon, so as to convert the liquid fuel into a gas or mixture of gases and simultaneously ignite the same, and which element will be so constructed and mounted as to be automatically continuously rotated through the influence of air draft created by the burning gases and sweeping over the said element, so that the fuel substantially at the moment of its conversion into gas will be thrown off from the flashing element and consumed in an envelop of air which is established and maintained about the element.

Another object of the invention is to pr0- vide novel means for most effectually supplying liquid fuel to the thermal flashing element.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the burner embodying the present in vention applied to a cooking range;

Fig. 2 is a vertical front to rear sectional view through the burner;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rotary thermal flashing element;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the said element;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

Serial No. 356,658.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modified form of burner designed especially for use in connection with furnaces; V

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of thermal flashing element;

Fig. 7 is a similar view illustrating a further modified form of such element.

It will be understood, of course, that the burner embodying the present invention may be employed in connection with heating stoves of various sizes and types, cooking stoves, hot-air and boiler furnaces, and in fact practically any type of stove or furnace of ordinary construction or of special construction. Therefore, the drawings are to be considered merely as illustrative of possible embodiments of the invention and not as in any way limiting the application of the invention or the construction and relative arrangement of its component parts so long as such modifications as may be made fall within the scope of the claims.

Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings illustrate one manner in which a burner constructed in accordance with the present invention may be employed in connection with a cooking range and in these figures the numeral 1 indicates in general the range which may be of the ordinary construction and which therefore includes the usual draft flue 2, fire-box 3, and fire-box door 4:. In adapting the invention to the range, the door 1 has bolted or otherwise secured to its face a channel iron supporting frame 5 including sides 6 and a connecting bottom portion 7, this frame partly surrounding an opening 8 which is formed through the door 4. A casing, indicated in general by the numeral 9, is provided and includes side walls 10, a connecting front wall 11, and a bottom 12, the casing being open at its top and at its rear side. The side walls 10 are formed at their rear edges with lateral flanges 13, and the bottom 12 is formed at its rear edge with a depending flange 14 these flanges seating respectively within the channels of the sides 6 and connecting bottom portion 7 of the frame 5 and the casing being in this manner supported upon the outer side of the door 4 with its open rear end communicating with the opening 8 in the door and consequently communicating with the interior of the fire-box 3.

The burner includes a combustion chamber which is indicated in general by the numeral 15 and this chamber includes side its walls, with the exception of its bottom,

are preferably slightly spaced from the corresponding walls of the casing the rear end of the said combustion chamber being fitted substantially snugly through the opening 3 in the manner clearly shown in Figs. "1 and 2; i i

While the forward part of the combustion chamber is open at its top as above pointed out and as most clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, nevertheless this portion of the casing is provided with a removable lid which is indicated in general by the numeral 21 and'which is supported with its margin slightly spaced above the upper edges of the walls16 and 17 of the chamber by means of lugs 22 which are formed upon the upper edges of the said walls 16 and 17 at suitable intervals. Thus there is provided a sub-- stantially continuous air passage 23 of limited area extending entirely around the lat eral and forwardedges of the lid 21. and in order that a similar passage 24 may be provided at the rearside of the lid, the correspondingedge; of the lid is suitably spaced from the forward edge of the top wall 19 of the chamber. The lid is formed with an approximately centrally located opening preferably circularin form and completely surrounded by the air passages 23 and 24.

At this point it will be evident that a down draft created through the opening 25 will. cause air to be drawn into the combustion chamber through the passages 23 and 2e, andthese drafts are created by the fuel burningin the combustion chamber and in the fire-box 3 of the range.

The numeral 26 indicates a standard which is preferably of slender conical form and provided at its bottom with any suitable centering means as for example a stud 27 to seat within an opening 28 in the bottom 18 of the combustion chamber so as to accurately position the standard upon the bot tom of the said chamber when placed in position. In its upper endor apex, the stand- 'ard;26 is formedwith a socket 29 in which is removably fitted a pivot pin 30 having a pointed end 31. The thermal flashing ele.

ment of the invention is to be rotatably mounted upon this pin and one form. of the element. as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4;,

of the. drawings. The said element which is indicated in general by the numeral 32, comprises a head 33 which is stamped or otherwise formed to provide in its under side a bearing seat 34: to engage the pointed end 31 of the pivot pin 30. Vanes 35 radiate from the head 33 and extend downwardly and outwardly, and these vanes are distorted as at 36 at or adjacent their juncture with the head 33 so as to occupy downwardly and outwardly inclined planes disposed obliquely to the conical surface generated by the advancing edges of the blades in the rotation of the said element. The said advancing or forward edges of the vanes are indicated by the nnmeral37. The vanes are substantially flat and due to their distortion at their juncture with the head and their consequent disposition in planes inclined downwardlyand outwardly and oblique to the conical surface generated by their advancing edges 37 in the rotation of the flashing element, eachvane may be said to in effect define one side of a pyramid the axis of which intersects the bearing seat 34. lVhile in the drawings the thermal flashing element is illustrated as comprising four of the vanes, it will be understood that the number may be varied if desired. It will also be evident that the pitch of the vanes may be varied asvalso their angle ofinelination. At this point it will be apparent that when the thermal flashing element is dis- 7 posed upon the pivot pin 30, it is supported for free rotatiomthe frictional resistanceto its rotarymotion being r-educedto the minimum by reason of the character of. the bearing provided for supporting the said element. Itwill also be evident that due to the disposition of the vanes any down draft through i the opening 25 will cause the said element to rotate rapidly and the purpose of providing for this movement of the element will presently be explained.

In order that liquid fuelniay be supplied to the thermal flashing element, a'bracket' 0 is mounted upon'the lid21 as forezrample atthe rear side of the opening 25jand is ex} tended upwardly and forwardly and fit its upper portion curved downwardly as'atp 39 and tapered to-a dripping point 40 10 cated above the axisvof the opening and,

directly above and relatively olose to the center of the upper side of the head 33 of the :7 thermal flashing element. A. small funnel 4:1 is supported in any suitable manner ,uponl zo the overturned(portion 39 of thebracket 33 so as to discharge onto the dripping'poiiit 40, and a liquid fuelsupply pipe 42 is ar: ranged at one end to discharge liquid into the said funnel 41 and at, 'ts other is connected with a suitable reservoir other source of fuel supply 1nd1catedby t e' t numeral 43.

From the foregoingdescriptionit willbe I understood that liquid fuel flowing through the pipe &2 will be first discharged into the funnel l1 and will flow from the lower end of this funnel to the dripping point 10 from ing supplied by air currents rushing in through the opening and through the pa ges 23 and The thermal tlashlng c.einent 1S maintained at a suitable degree of heat and as a consequence when the liquid fuel is discharged onto the head of this element, the lighter constituents will be immediately vaporized or converted into gas or gases which will be instantaneously nited, the heavier constituents being subsequently converted into gas or gases as they flow downwardly over the surfaces of the vanes 35. The down draft through the opening 25 will, of course, draw the flames from the burning gases downwardly through this opening and into the combustion chamber 15 and fire-box 3 and these air currents as well as the currents flowing into the combustion chamber through the passages 23 and 2% supply the oxygen necessary to sup port perfect combustion of the gases, the burning gases being in fact completely enveloped by the air currents thus established. The rapid rotation of the flashing element, effected by the down draft through the opening results in the particles of liquid fuel comprising some of the constituents of the fuel, being thrown off by centrifugal force into the-surrounding envelop of air substantially at or immediately preceding their conversion into gas or gases and thus complete the perfect combustion of all of the generated gases and all of the fuel delivered to the flashing element is practically instantaneously effected.

A modified form of flashing element is shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings and the same comprises a conical head 44: which corresponds to the head 33 so far as its function is concerned and which is provided with radial vanes 45 corresponding to the vanes 35. The flashing element illustrated in Fig. 6 is distinguished from the element shown in Fig. 3 however, in that while the head 33 of the last mentioned element is relatively shallow and but slightly conical. or, in other words, more nearly flat, the head 44 of the modified element is relatively deep and of well defined conical or tapered form. This particular modified form of element may be best employed where some light liquid fuel is to be consumed.

In the modified form of thermal flashing element illustrated in Fig. 7, a head which is indicated by the numeral 46, is relatively deep and of substantially cylindrical form being slightly flared at its lower end as at t? and thence formed with the radial vanes 48. This form of the element is designed especially for use in connection with large stoves or furnaces.

Fig. 5 of the drawings illustrates a burner especially designed for use in connection with furnaces and in this Fig. 6 the numeral 49 indicates in general the combustion chamber which is substantially identical in its construction with the chamber 15 and which is mounted within a casing 50 corresponding to the casing 9. In this form of the invention the thermal flashing element which is indicated in general by the numeral and which comprises a relatively flat and shallow head 52 and vanes 53, is mounted at the lower end of a rotary spindle 54 which extends through a bearing opening 53 formed in the cross piece 56 of a suitable frame structure 57 which is mounted upon the lid 58 of the combustion chamber 49. The spindle 54 at its upper end passes through the top 59 of the frame and is provided with a head (30 which rests rotatably upon hearing balls 61 within a ball race 62 upon the said top member 59 of the frame. A fuel supply pipe 63 is led into the frame 57 and is arranged to discharge liquid fuel onto the head 52 of the flashing element 51, the operation of the burner being precisely as previously described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, a combustion chamber having upper and lower intake and outlet draft passages, a thermal flashing element rotatably mounted with relation to the intake passage and embodying vanes to be acted upon by the air currents entering the passage and thereby effect rotation of the said element, and means for supplying fuel directly to the said flashing element.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a combustion chamber having upper and lower intake and outlet draft passages, a thermal flashing element rotatably mounted with re lation to the intake passage and having an apex portion and vanes inclined downwardly and outwardly therefrom and adapted to be acted upon by the air currents entering the intake passage whereby to effect rotation of the said element, and means for supplying fuel directly to the said element.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a combustion chamber having upper and lower intake and outlet draft passages, a pointed bearing element arranged in juxtaposition to the intake passage, a thermal flashing element comprising a central portion having a bearing seat receiving the end of the said bearing whereby the said element is rotatably supported thereon, the said thermal flashing element embodying vanes extending downwardly and outwardly from its central portion, and means for supplying fuel directly to the said flashing element.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a combustion chamber having upper and lower intake and outlet draft passages, a pointed bearing element arranged in juxtaposition to the intake passage, a thermal flashing element comprising a central portion having a bearing seat receiving the end of the said bearing element whereby the said element is rotatablysupported thereon, the said thermal flashing element embodying vanes extending downwardly and outwardly from its central portion, and means for supplying liquid fuel to the upper side of the central portion of the said element.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a combustion chamber having a top wall and a baffle wall extending downwardly from the said top wall, the chamber being open at its top beyond the said top wall, a lid disposed upon the open portion of the top of the chamber and spaced at its margin from the upper edges of the upright walls of the chamber and from the adjacent edge of the top wall of the chamber whereby to provide a peripheral air passage, the lid having an opening in its top, a thermal flashing element arranged in juxtaposition to said opening, and means for supplying fuel to said flashing element.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

VIRGIL H. MILLS. [L. s.] 

